The invention relates to a plug-in connection system, an electrical connector plug, and an electrical motor arrangement. More particularly, the invention relates to a plug-in connector that is fixed at an angle to a printed circuit board and that is electrically contacted to the circuit board. Such plug-in connection systems are required especially for actuators in motor vehicles between motor-internal power and control connections on the one hand and a motor-external electric power and control unit on the other. The power and control unit is preferably accommodated in an electronics enclosure which is separate from the housing of the motor and which can be assembled into one unit with the motor housing by plug-in contacting. The electric motor, generally provided with a downstream gear unit, is preferably embodied as a commutator motor that is supplied by the vehicle""s DC distribution system.
Prior art publications DE 42 25 496 A1 and EP 0 538 495 B1, for instance, disclose actuators that include an electric motor with an axially flanged gear unit and with a preferably paraxial supply and control unit.
European Patent EP 0538 495 B1, for instance, discloses an electronics enclosure holding a printed circuit board that is provided with the control and/or monitoring electronics for the motor. The electronics enclosure is arranged in parallel to the axis of the motor housing and is open at the end face thereof but is otherwise sealed. At its end face, the electronics enclosure can be overhung-mounted or mechanically plugged into a corresponding housing flange opening of the gear unit and/or the motor housing and can thereby also be electronically contacted thereto. When on the one hand the gear case or motor housing and on the other hand the electronics housing are mechanically interconnected, the printed circuit board equipped with its motor control and/or monitoring electronics is automatically electrically connected by means of plug-in contacts to corresponding motor connectors on a brush holder plate of the commutator motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,049 A and German Laid-Open Publication DE 694 04 215 T2 disclose an electrical plug-in connector having a housing for mounting on the surface of a printed circuit board. A separately stamped and shaped hold-down clip is mounted on the housing by means of an anchoring leg and includes a projecting spring leg with a latching mechanism that is pushed through a hole in the circuit board from the upper side such that, when the latching mechanism reaches its operating position, it is biased against the lower side of the board. This makes it possible to compensate for varying thicknesses of different printed circuit boards.
One object of the present invention is to use simple production and assembly techniques suitable for mass production to provide a component, including a printed circuit board and a plug-in connection system, that has high external dimensional accuracy, providing secure mutual mechanical fixation and electrical contacting, despite unavoidable thickness tolerances of the circuit board.
This and other objects are attained, according to one formulation of the invention, by a plug-in connection system including: an insulation body having a base edge that contacts a printed circuit board when the plug-in connection system is in a final assembly position in relation to the printed circuit board; contact paths fixed in the insulation body and having contact legs that project from the base edge of the insulation body and are positioned to be contacted with the printed circuit board in the final assembly position. The insulation body includes at least one integrally formed elastic tongue that provides an elastic bracing with respect to the printed circuit board in the final assembly position. The insulation body further includes at least one integrally formed latching element that latches to the printed circuit board and provides a limit stop contact with a corresponding latching recess in the printed circuit board in the final assembly position.
According to another formulation, the invention provides an electrical connector plug that has: at least one power contact track; a main insulation body receiving the power contact track and having one side configured to rest against a surface of a circuit board; a spring extending from and on the one side of the main insulation body, and configured to press against the surface of the circuit board; and a latch extending from and on the one side of the main insulation body, and configured to latch an opposite surface of the circuit board.
The mutual fixation and contacting between the printed circuit board and the plug-in connection system provided by the invention is particularly advantageous. Due to the mutual spring-based support of the plug-in connection system on the top surface of the board and its positive-fit limit stop with respect to the underside of the board, varying board thicknesses, on the one hand, do not affect the distance in height of the external boundaries of the insulation body of the plug-in connection system. Moreover, the invention ensures secure electrical contact between the contact legs and the corresponding conductor paths on the circuit board, as well as a mechanical mount that is free of undue stresses, even with simple mechanical production using plug-in assembly technology. This dimensional accuracy guarantees, on the one hand, secure electrical contacting when the plug-in connection system is connected to mating contacts, e.g. of a motor drive unit, particularly a commutator motor/gear drive unit of a vehicle actuator, which is supplied, for instance, by the board-side motor control and/or monitoring electronics. On the other hand, it ensures a high accuracy of fit relative to the connector shell that receives the plug-in connection system.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the insulation body component that is provided for elastic bracing, preferably in the form of an integrally molded elastic tongue, is configured to also provide lateral non-positive-fit support, to ensure sufficient support for the insulation body, which is preferably mounted so as to angle up from the circuit board.
To further secure the insulation body against lateral tipping forces, the insulation body is preferably also provided with positive-fit lateral securing elements that protect against tipping. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, these elements are offset in height relative to the non-positive-fit lateral support, such that the external tipping forces acting on the insulation body are absorbed by the positive fit only if they exceed the counter forces of the non-positive-fit support.